महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-33, verse-21

वृषलत्वं परिगता ब्राह्मणानामदर्शनात् ।
श्रेयान्पराजयस्तेभ्यो न जयो जयतां वर ॥२१॥

21. vṛṣalatvaṁ parigatā brāhmaṇānāmadarśanāt ,
śreyānparājayastebhyo na jayo jayatāṁ vara.

21. vr̥ṣalatvam parigatāḥ brāhmaṇānām adarśanāt
śreyān parājayaḥ tebhyaḥ na jayaḥ jayatām vara

21. brāhmaṇānām adarśanāt vr̥ṣalatvam parigatāḥ
jayatām vara tebhyaḥ parājayaḥ śreyān na jayaḥ

21. They have fallen into the state of śūdras (vr̥ṣalatva) due to the absence of Brahmins. O best of conquerors, defeat (at their hands) is superior; not victory (over them).

Words meanings summery:

• व्र्̥षलत्वम् (vr̥ṣalatvam) - fallen into the lowest social class, having lost their kṣatriya status (state of a śūdra, low status)

• परिगताः (parigatāḥ) - have fallen into (the state of śūdras) (having reached, attained, fallen into)

• ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins

• अदर्शनात् (adarśanāt) - due to the absence or non-observance of Brahmins (e.g., their teachings or presence) (from not seeing, due to the absence, due to lack of observation)

• श्रेयान् (śreyān) - superior, better, more excellent

• पराजयः (parājayaḥ) - defeat, discomfiture

• तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ) - from them (ablative of comparison), referring to the kṣatriya tribes mentioned earlier (to them, for them, from them)

• न (na) - not, no

• जयः (jayaḥ) - victory, conquest

• जयताम् (jayatām) - of conquerors, among conquerors

• वर (vara) - best, used in the vocative compound 'O best of conquerors' (best, excellent, choicest; boon, suitor)

Words meanings and morphology

व्र्̥षलत्वम् (vr̥ṣalatvam) - fallen into the lowest social class, having lost their kṣatriya status (state of a śūdra, low status)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vr̥ṣalatva

vr̥ṣalatva - state of being a śūdra, low status

Noun formed with suffix -tva from vr̥ṣala ('śūdra')

परिगताः (parigatāḥ) - have fallen into (the state of śūdras) (having reached, attained, fallen into)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of parigata

parigata - gone around, encompassed, reached, attained

Past Passive Participle

From prefix pari- + root gam ('to go')

Prefix: pari

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Used predicatively.

ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - Brahmin, relating to Brahman

अदर्शनात् (adarśanāt) - due to the absence or non-observance of Brahmins (e.g., their teachings or presence) (from not seeing, due to the absence, due to lack of observation)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of adarśana

adarśana - not seeing, absence, disappearance, lack of vision

Noun formed from negative prefix a- + root dr̥ś ('to see') + suffix -ana

Prefix: a

Root: dr̥ś (class 1)

श्रेयान् (śreyān) - superior, better, more excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, more excellent, welfare, bliss

Comparative degree of śrī ('fortune, excellence')

Note: Agrees with `parājayaḥ`.

पराजयः (parājayaḥ) - defeat, discomfiture

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parājaya

parājaya - defeat, subjugation, loss, vanquishing

From prefix parā- + root ji ('to conquer')

Prefix: parā

Root: ji (class 1)

तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ) - from them (ablative of comparison), referring to the kṣatriya tribes mentioned earlier (to them, for them, from them)

(pronoun)

Ablative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

Demonstrative pronoun

Note: Can also be dative plural. Context suggests comparison here.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

जयः (jayaḥ) - victory, conquest

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jaya

jaya - victory, triumph, conquest

From root ji ('to conquer')

Root: ji (class 1)

जयताम् (jayatām) - of conquerors, among conquerors

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of jayat

jayat - conquering, victorious; a conqueror

Present Active Participle

From root ji ('to conquer')

Root: ji (class 1)

Note: Used in the vocative compound `jayatāṁ vara`.

वर (vara) - best, used in the vocative compound 'O best of conquerors' (best, excellent, choicest; boon, suitor)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, choicest; a boon, a blessing

Root: vr̥ (class 9)

Note: Part of a vocative compound with `jayatām`.